The Hunting Party: Waterhole at Pa'li Mesa
by Tisrusewa Karyu
Summary: The hunters do their signs seeing sights, sounds, and scents, prepare for climbing up Pa'li Mesa, make fire, discuss leadership, hear about a fishing trip with the Tsahik, get a mating lesson, and do tricks with tails. Irayo.


I gratefully acknowledge one of the foremost creative geniuses of our times, James Cameron, for conceiving the lush moon Pandora and the "noble savages," the Na'vi, that inhabit it. This story uses the setting he created for his movie, Avatar. I have not received any money for my work based on Avatar. If I could get paid by the hour for these stories, I would retire and spend all my time dancing and writing in comfort.

This story contains all original characters and situations, set in Na'vi clans not appearing in the movie. It is an episodic story in which my ideas about the Na'vi way of hunting and living in the wild are presented.

**Hunting Party: Water Hole at Pa'li Mesa**

The narrow trail along the steep river bank turns and unexpectedly widens out into a large expanse of sand. The hunting party, all riding pa'li in single-file, enters the sandy area. Txìtey, the leader of the hunting party and first in line, veers uphill, wheels around to face the others, and stops behind the stones of an ancient fire pit. He waves the other adults past him, but stops the four adolescent hunters just before the pit. His younger brother, Potey, who is bringing up the rear, wheels and stops alongside him, also facing the young hunters. The two brothers never stay apart for long.

Txìtey waves his arm toward the river. "Welcome to the Water Hole at Pa'li Mesa. I'm sure you've heard of this place, all hunters stop here when they're in the area. It's the best place to make preparations before climbing up Pa'li Mesa, the clan's largest haven for hunters. There's no food, water, shelter, or even trees on the mesa, so everyone must carry what they need up to the top, and this water hole is the closest. The mesa is upstream from here, and the only trail to the top is on this side." He points to the rock towering in the distance.

The older girl, Ti'mì, asks, "It sounds very desolate. Why's it called Pa'li Mesa?"

Potey answers, "It looks flat on top, so it's a mesa. The pa'li part, well, you'll have to see it to believe it."

Txìtey continues, "Yes, seeing is best. One of our traditions is to not tell what is on top of the mesa, so first time visitors can be surprised by what they see." The two brothers look at each other and grin as Ti'mì rolls her eyes. The older boy, Larotan, reaches out and pats her forearm in consolation. "Since you're here to learn, we'll do our signs. A good hunter goes over sights, sounds, and smells all the time, looking for both predators and prey. Look to the river. See the many animal tracks between here and the water? There's our sights. Our ten hunters and twelve pa'li have scared off all animals on this bank, so there aren't many sounds to hear, just birds and insects. Like all water holes, there is much urine and dung scattered around, so there is a strong smell, but it can't tell us much. Go on, take a big sniff. It's not bad today, seems the smell of the river is stronger."

Zeyuo, the younger girl and the youngest member of the party, asks, "I smell yerik urine over everything else. Am I wrong?"

The leader looks to his brother. "What do you say, little brother? Your nose has always been better than mine."

"She's good, big brother. I too smell yerik urine, and I see yerik tracks around our pa'li. I'll have to get on the ground to see how fresh the tracks are, but I think we scared them away just now when we rode in here."

Txìtey takes another sniff. "I thought that was river, but you're right, it's yerik. Must be new because it isn't very sharp. Here's another good lesson for you. When you're hunting in a group, get everyone's opinion and work out the best understanding." He looks into the eyes of the younger boy, Mäsay, who meets his gaze with a scowl. "No one can get everything right all the time. Remember that especially when you are the leader."

Mäsay wants to disagree with the leader, changes his mind with a gulp, and nods. "Yes, leader."

Txìtey smiles and nods his head in return. "Very good." None of the others in this conversation are aware of the conditions under which the boy is here, or recognize the significance of this exchange. The leader senses that the boy wants to say more, and thinks "Maybe he will loosen up in private, because he's not ready to talk in front of the group yet."

Potey, with a twinkle in his eyes, says "Remember today. My brother just said I do something better than him."

"Well, there aren't many things where I can say that." Everyone laughs.

"Oh, that's no way to treat your little brother." More laughs.

"Where was I? Sounds are out and scents have been covered, so we'll do sights. Grab all the water skins. I'll take you to the water, and on the way I'll ask each of you to identify the animal that made the tracks I point out, and how long ago it was here. When we're done filling our water skins, we'll let the pa'li drink all they want, and they'll wipe out most of these tracks getting to the water. Next, we'll collect firewood, as we need to take all the firewood our pa'li can carry up to the top of the mesa. After that, we will fish for our last meal of the day."

Mäsay blurts "I don't like fish, I should hunt for meat. Potey said yerik should be nearby."

The leader replies "No, we are surrounded by predators now, and the smell of blood may make them bold enough to attack our group. We are many, but we do not need to make trouble for ourselves. Like most waterholes, this is a dangerous place because of all the animals drawn here, that is why we'll spend the night on the mesa. Long ago, hunters found that eating fish here is safer than eating meat, so we will do the same. It is also much faster to catch and cook fish. In any case, fishing with a spear or bow is tricky, and we all need the practice. It's too dangerous to use nets, because the river is too deep and fast, and hooks take too much time. Let's dismount and begin looking at tracks. Two more things. First, as I said, the river runs very fast here, and it is too dangerous for swimming. So, stay out of the river, except for the shallows on this side of the sand bar. Second, we are surrounding the fire pit, and we'll eat here as soon as our work is done. If you need to relieve yourself, do so away from here. Go along the trail we came in on, just don't get out of sight. Beware of the plants with red leaves. You will be very sorry if those leaves touch you, especially in sensitive places." They chuckle as the dangers of using the wrong leaves in the wrong places on their bodies are well known by all.

Potey, with a mischievous look on his face, says, "Brother, you surprise me. You sound so much smarter when you have students around."

Everyone laughs, and dismounts. The water skins are quickly gathered, as the other adults have already collected their skins and have them waiting for the young hunters.

Txìtey looks at his brother and says, "The leader of the hunters appointed me the leader for this trip, and I do not want to get her mad at me." Everyone is well aware that his mate, Äkaynu, is the leader of the hunters for the Waterfall Clan, and is standing with her sister Tiunu on the expanse of sand holding six pa'li, while the other two adults, Potey's mate Keti and Tiunu's mate Lew'it, are stringing a rope between two trees near a long clump of pa'liwll. After the pa'li drink from the shallows, they will be tied to this rope and lap the nectar from these pitcher plants. "I do not want anyone to drown in this river or get lost or eaten. She will do terrible things to me if anyone gets hurt or killed. So, show some respect to your long-suffering older brother. Please keep the pa'li here while we look at tracks."

"I can do that. Yes, you are older and I am better looking. I respect that."

After more laughs, they get to work. All four adolescents are able to identify the animals that made the tracks selected by the leader. Zeyuo, the youngest hunter, even correctly identifies the tracks made by an animal that lives here but nowhere near their tree home. The age of the tracks is harder, but their answers usually agree with the leader, who explains each of his observations to all four teens. He calls his brother in to get his opinion a couple of times, and, as always, gets more laughs with each answer.

The pa'li are getting restless, so they stop looking at tracks, fill the water skins, and lead the pa'li to the shallows to drink. The teens scour the area for firewood, stacking their finds by the adults who are sorting the pieces, cutting the bigger pieces up, and making bundles suitable for packing on the pa'li. The two brothers are chopping down small trees for use as fencing. Once more firewood has been collected than can be carried up the mesa, Txìtey yells out, "We have enough firewood now, thanks to your quick work. One of you should clean out the fire pit and start a cooking fire, while the rest should begin fishing."

Mäsay yells in reply, "I'll take care of the fire," as he picks a stout stick out of the firewood pile and walks to the pit.

Zeyuo whispers to herself, "I am so ready to fish. I need to get away from these guys before I lose my mind." She picks up her stringer, bow, and fishing and hunting arrows, and sprints down the trail upstream. She is well out of sight before anyone can say anything to her.

The leader stands up from removing branches from the small tree he felled, looks around, and says "Where did she go? I didn't want anyone to get out of sight. You three should fish from the sandbar. See if you can catch your own meal."

The older teens, Larotan and Ti'mì, pick up their bows and fishing arrows and wade out onto the sandbar.

Mäsay finishes digging out the fire pit with the stick. He stacks some kindling into it, picks out a dry branch from the pile of firewood, and sits it beside the fire pit. From his belongings, he grabs his bow and a leather bag. He takes a small stone blade from the bag and uses it to reduce the dry stick into a pile of thin shavings. Carefully, he removes the hunting bowstring from his bow, and replaces it with the fire-making bowstring from the leather bag. He puts his fire plate down into the fire pit against the shavings, wraps the fire-making bowstring around the spindle, and holds the spindle down on the fire plate with the holding plate. Using the bow to turn the spindle, he saws the bow back and forth rapidly until smoke rises from the fire plate. Moving quickly, he slides the glowing coal from the fire plate into the shavings, and blows on it until a flame appears. Then, he scrapes the burning shavings into the bottom of the stack of kindling, and sets that ablaze. Finally, he feeds increasing larger pieces of firewood into the flames until he has a roaring fire sufficient to heat the cooking stones. He gathers up his fire making tools, and stands up to replace the hunting bowstring on his bow. He carefully winds up the fire-making bowstring and stows everything back into the leather bag, just as Txìtey walks up to him.

"Mäsay, you made quick work of that fire. You are better than many adult hunters."

"Thank you, leader. Making fire has always been easy for me. My father taught me his way, but he always used a small bow just for making fire. I tried using my hunting bow, but ruined the bow. After I made a new bow, I tried making a special bowstring just for fire-making, and that works very well for me. With my own tools, making fire has become a quick and enjoyable task. I will volunteer every time you ask, leader."

"I'll remember that, but I do have to give the other young hunters their turns. Maybe you can help them when they struggle, but please wait until I ask for your help. I am concerned that you use your hunting bow. In a group like ours, you are safe because there are many protecting you. By yourself, you are defenseless while you are making a fire."

"I've had this argument with Pänìfay, the teacher of fire-making."

"This is not a question of winning or losing an argument, it is a question of your survival. That is why most hunters, like your father, use special bows, so they have their hunting bows for protection. Your method takes away your protection. You have not been attacked by a predator yet, that is obvious to me. All hunters are changed by the experience, and see things differently afterward. Someday after a predator surprises you, think about what our conversation today, and maybe you will see why a special bow is necessary. Will you do that for me?"

The boy looks skeptical, but says, "Yes leader, I will think about that." In his mind, he knows he is a good hunter and no predator will ever surprise him.

"Good, that is all I ask. I am not doing my job if I do not teach you how to protect yourself. A good leader always thinks how to improve his team, including the skills of each individual."

"You are the leader, you could command me to use a different bow."

"I could, but that would not convince you that my way is best. And once we are home, you would go back to your old way, foregoing your protection. My interest is not in having you obey me, my interest is in you having a long life, not cut short by a predator who eats you because you used your protection to make a fire. A leader cannot succeed by forcing everyone to do as he says. A good leader succeeds because he helps everyone do the best that they can do to achieve the goal. You do make fire very quickly and efficiently, I cannot tell you how to improve on that. Now if you can find a way to stay protected while making fire, that would be much better. I don't care how you do it, but you should find a way to do both that works best for you."

"Do you think I could be a good leader?"

"My experience says no, but you could prove me wrong. Your ambition to be the leader gets in the way. Only if you can overcome your ambition and do what a good leader must do, can you become a good leader."

"That sounds like a riddle. I have always wanted to be a leader. I can be a good leader only if I do not want to be a leader anymore! That makes no sense to me."

"Why do you want to be the leader?"

"I like to be in charge. I want to decide and say how things must be done."

"When you made the fire just now, did I say how that must be done?"

"No..., you didn't. You let me do it on my own."

"A good leader lets his team members do their jobs without interference. I heard about the problems you caused with Pizia and the warriors and with Huhemi and the hunters. Did you let your team members do their jobs?"

"No, but they were morons."

"Especially when they are morons, you must let them do their jobs. Only step in if someone is about to get hurt. Everyone can learn from their mistakes with just a little help, so you must let them make mistakes, and then calmly discuss it with them so they can improve. They will think much better of you if you let them learn, rather than yelling to stop them before they get started."

"You never yell at anyone?"

"I have, but that is rarely the best thing to do. Losing your temper is worse. Doing either while hunting is dangerous, or at least will scare off the game. You must always keep your mind on the goal, and not let your reactions take away from that. Pizia and Huhemi both said your yelling at teammates caused the teams to fall apart, and the goals were not met. You are a bad leader or a bad teammate if you destroy your team or keep it from achieving its goal. Did you see that during those incidents?"

"What I saw were teammates that were not following me, so there was no way to meet the goals anyway."

"That is the hardest part to becoming a good leader. Teammates will follow you only when they have confidence in your abilities. Earning that confidence takes much hard work on your part. When you establish a good reputation, people will want to follow you. When you have a bad reputation, as you have right now, people will not work readily for you, and may even work against you. I heard you have worked against your leaders. Is that true?"

"Everyone enjoys criticizing me, but they do not take it well when I criticize them or make them see things my way."

"That is very disrespectful. Now I understand why some want the clan leader to banish you."

"Who said that? I need to challenge them if they are trying to destroy me."

"No, that will just make matters worse, and give them a better reason to have you banished. If you wish to be a leader in the Waterfall Clan, you must work doubly hard to overcome your bad reputation. Never be disrespectful again, that will undo everything. Nothing you accomplish will matter if you turn others against you by being disrespectful."

"Are you saying I must leave the clan?"

"No. If you leave the clan, the other clans you encounter will want to know why you left. They will send messengers to ask the elders. Your bad reputation will follow you everywhere."

"What do you think I should do?"

"You have done well so far on this trip. That proves that you can be a good teammate when you decide to behave. When we get back, you should ask for a full clan meeting, and publicly apologize to everyone you can remember who saw your bad behavior. Then, go to each leader that you undermined, and apologize for your disrespect. Later, ask to go on team hunts and exercises, and be a good teammate. Once people see you are a sincere teammate enough times, ask to be a leader, and show them you have changed and are trying to get better. When people see you behaving better and trying to be a good leader, they will be more willing to follow you. It will be very hard, though, and take much time."

"What if I don't apologize?"

"You will never be selected for Iknimaya."

"That's not fair!"

"If you are not responsible enough to admit your mistakes and apologize, you are not responsible enough to train an ikran."

"If I do everything you said, will I be selected for Iknimaya?"

"I can't say. Since you have upset so many people, I would not be surprised if you are held back the first time you qualify. Certainly, if you publicly complain or argue, you will be held back again or barred completely. You must be prepared to be held back, and accept the decision gracefully. That will make it possible for the elders to select you for a future trip."

"If I'm not able to become an ikran rider, what can I do?"

"Our clan has some unacknowledged hunters who always work on their own, mainly by fishing or catching small game. You could do that. Or, you could take up a craft. Most require some artistic ability, but you could be a tanner if you are not artistic enough. As a former hunter, crafting weapons is an obvious choice if you have the skills needed. There are other jobs, like food preparer or healer or gatherer, you could do."

"I am a hunter and a warrior, and don't want those other jobs. Being a leader or an ikran rider is not possible if I don't apologize?"

"It is very unlikely. You have turned many against you. A good leader admits his mistakes."

"Thank you for talking to me. You have given me much to think about."

"That is why you are on this hunt. The clan leader and Tsahik are very concerned about you, and wanted you on this trip to give you the chance to think about yourself away from the daily pressures of life in our home tree. I am glad we had this talk. You do have much to think about, because the rest of your life will be determined by what you decide during this trip, and what you do when we get home. I have found that I think best while fishing. Get out your fishing arrows now, and see if you can catch your meal."

"Earlier when I said I don't like fish, I should have said I do not like to fish. I don't have any fishing gear, like arrows, spears, hooks, or nets."

Looking surprised, Txìtey says "My brother and I carry spare fishing arrows. Let's get one for you. When we get somewhere with the right plants, we can show you how to make them. You'll also have to make string to use with the arrows."

Once Mäsay is given the arrow he needs to catch fish, he and the adult brothers wade out onto the sandbar to join the two older teens. They have taken a number of shots, but have caught only one fish each. The brothers wade to the upstream end of the sandbar, and quickly catch two more fish. Mäsay goes downstream from the rest, and stands in the water looking very frustrated, not taking a single shot. With four fishers just upstream, few fish will make it to him, and he does not recognize the situation he is in.

Potey sees a flash of blue in the distance along the bank. "Hey, brother, your wayward little fisher is nearby."

"Did she catch anything?"

"I'll ask." Shouting as loud as he can, Potey yells "Zeyuo, did you catch anything?"

"Brother, if she shoots you with her fishing arrow, I will not blame her."

The shout causes everyone to freeze, and silently listen for anything.

There is no reply, but shortly there is the "plink" of an arrow hitting the water, followed by the splash of a fish fighting a losing battle for its life. Moments later, the youngest hunter bounds onto the trail, one hand holding a fishing arrow with all three points impaling a red fish, and the other hand holding a stringer full of fish of different sizes and colors. She stops briefly, speaks to the fish on the arrow, and then removes the arrow and puts the red fish on her stringer with the rest.

"Zeyuo has enough fish to feed us all!" exclaims Txìtey. "She saved us a lot of time."

Potey is laughing, and replies "Yes, and she Sees us too well. Look at those red fish."

"Are those baby fish? I've never seen them in this river before. Looks like she has several of them."

"Just wait until our mates see them. That will be a lot of fun." Potey keeps laughing, thinking about the various outrageous reactions the women might have.

"What's a baby fish?" asks Larotan. "Those fish look too big to be babies."

Txìtey answers, but looks uncomfortable, " A baby fish is the fish the Tsahik and healers want a woman to eat when she is carrying a child, or wants to be carrying a child."

"Well, it was very hard to ignore the way you adults were mating last night" interjects Ti'mì. "Guess she just wants to help things along, as she has one for each wife."

Everyone laughs, and starts wading back towards the fire. When they get near a branch in the sun above the sand, they hang their fishing arrows on it and loop the strings over it to dry. They walk up to the fire pit, where the one adult couple guarding the pa'li, Lew'it and Tiunu, are also tending the fire.

"Where are our mates?"asks Txìtey.

Lew'it replies "They went up the trail to gather whatever fruits and vegetables they could find. After your brother's bellowing, I'm surprised they haven't returned with bows drawn."

Txìtey says "My little brother does many thing well, and making noise is one of them." They all laugh at Potey's surprised look.

Potey innocently responds "You wanted to know if she caught anything, and I just asked."

When the youngest hunter reaches the sand, she turns toward the water and hangs her fishing arrow from the same branch holding the other drying arrows and strings. Zeyuo carefully loops her string so it does not tangle with the other strings. Then, she turns and heads towards the others standing around the fire pit.

As Zeyuo walks up with her stringer full of fish, Tiunu asks her to take the fish from the others and add them to her stringer. Once that is done, they walk a few steps away from the fire pit, and the adult washes off the fish while the youngster holds the stringer up. The remaining two women, Äkaynu and Keti, walk towards the fire with a nice collection of fruits and vegetables.

Äkaynu, the leader of the hunters, says, "I See you." to the group. After everyone replies, she says "I did not think we would find much this close to a water hole, but Eywa provides." She and Keti both have an armload. With the fish, there will be a large meal here with plenty of leftovers to take up the mesa. Tiunu says, "Sisters, let's wash these off." The men pick up several flat stones, brush off the sand, and sit them down away from the fire. The women sit the fruits and vegetables on them, and wash them off. The vegetables that are better grilled are cut up and placed on some hot cooking stones in the fire pit. Zeyuo begins removing the fish from her stringer and handing them to the adults who clean and debone them, and carefully lay the fillets on the hot cooking stones. All the while, they are showing the young hunters how they clean the fish and explaining what must be done with each kind.

Txìtey says, "Zeyuo is a very talented fisher. She caught all but four of the fish. Everyone caught a fish today, except for our expert fire-maker Mäsay."

His mate Äkaynu replies, looking at the teen that made the fire, "The next time we fish, she can work with you to improve your fishing skills. The most important duty of a master is to pass on your skills. She needs to learn how to teach fishing. I have seen you make fire before, and you do better than most adult hunters. You need to learn how to teach fire-making." Mäsay looks surprised, as he has never considered that possibility. Looking back at her mate, she says "I heard about her fishing prowess from the retired Tsahik. She made quite an impression on Hirsu the first time they went fishing together."

"You went fishing with the old Tsahik! How did that happen?" Potey asks.

Zeyuo smiles and replies, "When I was a baby, my parents gave me the usual toys, including a bow. Since I saw my parents and brothers shoot their bows, I tried shooting mine. But, toy bows don't shoot, for obvious safety reasons. I hated my bow because it didn't work, and I asked my parents for a real bow every chance I could. I remember going into the alcove of the bowyer, seeing all those bows hanging from the ceiling, way too high for me to reach. He always told me to come back when I get old enough. I hate that phrase, 'when you get old enough,' because I have heard it so often, and still hear it too often." No one says anything, but they all know that even though her hunting skills are beyond most adults, she is being held back from climbing to Iknimaya until she grows strong enough for the climb and big enough to physically subdue an ikran. Her assignment to this hunting party was decided in part to challenge her until she can make the trek to Iknimaya.

"My father likes to fish on his rest days, and often he took me along when he fished the Upper Waterfall River. There are few predators up there, making it very safe and secluded, and the river is full of fish. He borrowed one of those big baskets used by the gatherers, put me in it, and carried me on his back while climbing up the cliff by the waterfall. Once on the trail above the falls, he would let me out and I would watch him fish with his bow. At first, he let me pull the string to recover the arrow and fish after he shot. Then, he explained how the water tricks the eyes, so the fish were not where they seem, and taught me to See where the fish really are. He showed me all the different kinds of fish in that river, where they lived, when they ate, and the different depths they use. When the fish were almost straight down by my feet, he would help me use his bow. It was so strong, I couldn't use it without help. I caught my first fish on that river, and he taught me to say the Hunter's Prayer over the fish we caught together."

"As I got bigger, he said he would make a bow for me when I was able to climb the cliff without his help. It took many tries, but finally I was able to climb that cliff on my own. I was still too young to get a bow from the clan, so my father made my first bow. We hung it and our fishing arrows and stringers inside a hollow tree off the trail, where no one would see them. He told me very sternly that we both could get into trouble because of that bow, so I was not to tell anyone. We would take turns, he would catch a fish while I waited, and then I would catch a fish while he waited. We did this many times before we got caught."

"One day, a young couple was sitting on a branch over the river and saw me catch a fish, hold it up to say the prayer for it, and put it on my stringer with several other fish. They did not see my father, only me. They saw me using a bow, and I was too young for beginning archery lessons. Of course, when they got back home, they went straight to the elders and told them. The next day, my father was confronted by the clan leader, the Tsahik, and the head of the hunters, all retired now. He admitted that he made a real bow for me, and taught me to fish with it. The Tsahik told him that she was going to take me fishing, and the elders needed to discuss this further with her before making any decisions. She immediately left, picked up her bow and arrows, and found me. I was surprised and thrilled when she said she wanted to go fishing with me. I never heard of the Tsahik fishing before, but she said she fished often before becoming Tsahik."

"So, she followed me up the cliff. I took her to the hollow tree and retrieved my bow, arrows, and stringer. I took my bowstring and restringer out of their leather pouch, strung my bow, and put the restringer back. I gathered up my tools, and showed her how I fished. Like all other fishing trips, I took only one fish from each fishing hole. I said the Hunter's Prayer over each fish before putting it on my stringer. I explained everything about each fish that I could remember. What was different was that at each fishing hole I tried, there were fish waiting for me. I stopped at eight fishing holes, caught a fish with my first shot each time, and caught a different kind of fish each time. While catching the last several fish, the Tsahik seemed very far away, and did not listen too closely to my description of the fish I just caught. At the time, I thought maybe I knew more about fishing that she did or she was tired or bored watching me. She finally said, 'You have proven your skills as a worthy hunter of fish. Your father is an excellent instructor. Now I See that Eywa is using you to give me a very important message, and I need to understand what that message means. Let's go home.'"

Potey says, "Eight shots, eight fish, all different. Sounds like Eywa was putting the fish on your arrows that day."

"That was not the most surprising part of the day for me. When we got to the hollow tree, I turned toward it to put my gear away. The Tsahik told me to gather everything up and take it home, I was not to hide anything in any hollow tree anymore. I did what she commanded, even though it was very hard for me to carry everything. She put my bow over my shoulder, and said I had to learn to walk like a true hunter. We climbed down the cliff, and walked the trail into our tree home. Then the realization hit me, everyone was staring at me, with my bow and arrows and stringer of fish, following the Tsahik. I was both excited and embarrassed to have my secret exposed in such a public manner. The Tsahik took me to Hakmi, the head of the food preparers, and asked me to give her my catch. She said, 'This youngster has become the clan's newest hunter. Expect her to bring more fish to you in the future.' Hakmi thanked me for the catch, and asked how many fish my father gave her recently that were caught by me. I told her that we took turns catching fish, so I caught about half the fish he was giving her. She thanked me again, and we left. The Tsahik led me down the ramp to her alcove on the ceremonial level. Like all children, I was told to never go down there, and here the Tsahik herself was taking me. She invited me to sit on the floor, and pulled the skin shut behind me. I had to put down my restringer pouch, arrows, and stringers, and take off my bow before I could sit down. I felt very clumsy, and thought I had to learn how to handle my fishing tools better. Once I got situated, I asked, 'Is my father and I going to get into trouble for my fishing?'"

"The Tsahik replied, 'No, my child, I do not think you or your father will be punished for fishing. If we punished each father for indulging his daughter, we would have to punish all fathers with daughters. If we punished each daughter for pushing their father into doing something that should not be done, we would have to punish all daughters with fathers. That does not mean life will be easy for you or him now that your secret is out. The clan has rules, such as the age that children are trusted to responsibly handle working bows, to keep everyone safe. Your father broke that rule so you could fish with him. I see that he taught you well, because you handled your bow expertly while fishing today. However, since you hid your bow, you don't know how to handle it when you are not using it. You have started working on that skill today. You have also broken the rule that children must do what is best for the clan, not what is best for themselves. You were seen shooting a fish, and putting it on a stringer with other fish. Your father was not seen, but I believe he was there with you. Many clan members will believe you were willfully breaking the rules by fishing with a bow by yourself before you are old enough to be trained properly. A few of your playmates might be happy for you, but I think most of them will be unhappy with you. That is why I took you to the food preparers with your fish, to let the clan know that you have skills well beyond your years. But, that will not stop people from being unhappy with you and your family, your father in particular. Eywa has given you a great gift, and now we must find a way to nurture your gift while making everyone understand that your age does not matter as much as your abilities. There will be some very difficult days ahead. Come talk to me whenever you feel the need.'"

"I answered 'Thank you, Tsahik. I know who will give me a hard time, and that will make me feel bad. I will come to you when I need to talk to someone.'"

"She nodded. 'I have things to understand, and other things I need you to do. You stopped eight times, took eight shots, and caught eight different fish. I do not know of any hunter in any clan who could do what you did for me today.'"

"I insisted 'My father could, I know it.'"

"The Tsahik went on 'Maybe he could, but he has not pursued recognition of his fishing skills. He could be acknowledged as a master fisher if he could do as well as you did today. He told me he fishes to relax and spend time with you. I will see to it that Kekiwa, the trainer for fishing, takes you and your father out to several different rivers and tests the skills of both of you. I also see that you are outgrowing your bow. I will speak to Lätxey, the bowyer, and have him make a new bow for you that fits you properly. That should be a good challenge for him, as he does not make many small bows. I will also speak to Kuzìpì, the archery instructor, and have him start working with you, particularly on those skills needed for hunting creatures other than fish, even though fishing with the bow is very difficult and you have mastered that already. That will be a good challenge for him, also. Let's talk to them after we are done here. I have to figure out what Eywa is telling me, so I will meditate on that later. Now, I need you to be strong. Do not get into any fights or arguments about your fishing. If anyone taunts you, just say the Tsahik and the clan elders are deciding what to do. If they don't like that, have them talk to me or the elders. You must show up on time when the adults can see you, and you must work hard and learn fast with the archery and fishing teachers. The sooner you convince them with your skills, the easier your life will be. Remember to come to me when you feel the need to talk. Now, pick up your things and let's visit Lätxey for your new bow.'"

"With that, my training as a hunter and a fisher began in earnest, years earlier than most."

The fish and grilled vegetables are done, and they are served up on leaves gathered and cleaned earlier.

"So you are that little girl. My brother and I were out in the mountains when that happened, looking for the river that disappeared. We heard about you when we got back, but it slipped my mind. Your father is Zìrteme, the trainer for bow and spear fishing?"

"Yes", she nodded.

"I heard some were unhappy with him getting that assignment. The old trainer Kekiwa teaches just net and hook fishing now, and is very happy having your father's help. Your father is an excellent teacher, from what his students say."

"Thank you. He is an excellent instructor, and I know because I am his first student." she said, and then asked "Disappearing river?"

"Yes, a huge landslide from a mountain blocked the river. An ikran rider on patrol reported that the river vanished and all game left the valley. My brother and I were sent out there and backtracked the river until we found the landslide. That river stayed dry for a couple of years, but finally a really heavy rain fell in the plains, and opened the river back up. If you go to the valley now, you will see that the river and game have returned, just as before."

Äkaynu asks, "Zeyuo, did you catch the baby fish?"

Potey looks to his brother and says "I told you this would be good." and starts laughing.

Zeyuo replies, "Yes, once I saw that they lived in this river, in the shady pools along the bank before the sand bar, I made sure to catch one for each mated woman. You three couples mated last night, so I thought you would appreciate having them. Back home, I always ask Syuzi or one of the other healers how many they need each day when I can fish."

Potey says, "I told you she Saw us too well." and continues laughing.

Äkaynu's ears fold back partway and her tail becomes agitated, and she snaps "Ignore my mate's brother, he can say very bad things sometimes." Her ears relax but her tail keeps twitching rapidly as she continues "It was very sweet of you to do that, even though we really aren't trying to make another baby. If Eywa wills it, we will have another baby, and we will be happy for the gift. Not only are you an exceptional hunter, you are also very considerate. On behalf of myself and the other two women, I thank you for your gift and consideration. We will enjoy eating the fish you caught just for us. Now if only certain men could be so noble."

Potey immediately replies, "My big brother got all of that, and there wasn't any left over for me," laughing as he finishes these words.

Äkaynu stands and turns angrily to face Potey, with her ears drawn back almost flat against her head, teeth bared, and tail furiously whipping the air behind her. She hisses at him, as her mate Txìtey jumps in between them. They have been mated for many years, and he saw this coming.

Txìtey says "Now is a good time for our young hunters to learn another lesson." Both his mate and his younger brother turn and look at him as if he is a complete moron. He grabs his mate and pulls her against his side as he talks to the young hunters. "My brother Potey was born about three and half years after me, so when he started moving on his own, I got the job to watch him. I've been doing that every day since then, except for the five years I was an ikran rider. Like most males, he cannot talk seriously about mating, so he makes many jokes and humorous comments instead. We are as close as two brothers can ever get. I am closer to only one other person, my mate Äkaynu. She is the love of my life, the mother of my children, and now she is my boss, the leader of the hunters, the third most powerful member of our Waterfall Clan. Like most females, she talks very seriously about mating, and does not understand how anyone can make jokes or humor about it. This means she gets upset with him, often without him being aware of it. I cannot make my brother be more serious, and I cannot make my mate be more understanding. So, when you mate with someone, realize that there will be some member of your mate's family that will make you insane, and there is nothing that you can do about it except to try to keep yourself sane."

Potey stands and turns towards the women, bows his head, and says "I am sorry, Leader and young hunter. I did not mean any disrespect or insult by laughing and joking about the baby fish, and what I thought might be said because of them."

Äkaynu bows her head, and says "Brother, I am sorry for not Seeing you the way I should, and for losing my temper just now."

Txìtey sees that his mate is mollified by this all too rare apology from his brother, and says seriously, "Brother, you must be smarter when my mate is near. 'The tail and ears also speak.' Do not joke when she is agitated. She could send you to the Floating Mountains to catch a palulukan."

Potey retorts, "But there's no palulukan up there."

Txìtey answers, "That's right. And don't come back until you catch one." Everyone laughs as the younger brother is the last to understand the joke.

Äkaynu looks into Txìtey's face and says with a smile "That is an interesting command, my mate. I will remember it."

Txìtey looks into her face, smiles in return, then looks at his brother and adds "One more thing, little brother. If you ever become noble, I will drag you to the healers and see if you can be cured." Everyone laughs and the tension vanishes with the laughter, as they continue eating.

Ti'mì looks towards Txìtey and says "Leader, thank you for that lesson. I have been told many things about mating, but never have I heard that one before."

Äkaynu smiles and looks toward her. "Just don't pass up a potential mate because of troublesome family members. If you have a good mate, you can work out family problems together." She then looks towards Txìtey. "I could not image what your lesson could be. After knowing you all these years, you can still surprise me. Thank you, my love."

Zeyuo says, "I've done a lot of talking, now I want to finish my meal. Tell me, brothers, it sounds like you spend a lot of time out in the clan territories. What has been your most frightening experience while hunting?"

Potey answers first, "Well, other than waking up in the forest and seeing my older brother's face before anything else, hey!" He ducks as a stick flies over his head.

Txìtey retorts, "Your face is more frightening, and you are lucky you don't have to see it all the time like I do! I think the time we found a palulukan was the most exciting. We were running an aerial trail, and both of us stopped when we smelled some animal dung with a very unusual scent."

Potey adds, "It was a mixture of different animal smells, very confusing."

Txìtey continues, "Yes, the urine smells are easy to identify, and easy to find. Animals leave urine everywhere. The dung smells are harder, and animals are much more careful where they leave it in the wild."

Potey wants to stop a lecture by saying, "Brother, get on with the story. They've done their signs already today."

Txìtey, undeterred, says, "Yes, but let us know when you encounter something you don't recognize, you're here to learn. We decided to climb down to the forest floor to check it out. Down we went on the vines hanging off the trunk of a tree, and there was the dung pile, right against the tree. My brother picked up a stick, whispered 'It's very fresh!' and poked a white spot on the side of the pile. The excrement separated, revealing the paw of a nantang, some fur from a talioang, and several other mangled bits of bones. We looked at each other, and realized that all sounds stopped except for the insects flying around the pile. At the same time, we whispered 'Climb!' to each other and jumped back up the tree as fast as we could."

"When we were kids, we learned to wrap our tail over a shoulder and push the end against our neck to keep our tail from becoming a target. We both were doing that while climbing up the tree, just as the palulukan pounced. If our tails were straight out behind us, the normal way to climb, it would have caught us. I got one scratch on my foot from its longest claw, but neither of us was hurt. We scampered to the other side of the tree, climbed back up to the branch that was part of the aerial trail, and ran away as fast as we could. The palulukan roared its displeasure, but stayed on the ground by that tree.

Mäsay asks "Why didn't you kill it?"

Potey replies "Well, palulukan are really not edible, and that one did not chase us any further, so there was no reason to kill it."

Txìtey continues "And, we were above it, so only its armored back was facing us. Don't think we could've hurt it, unless we shot it in the eye or air hole. I've never tried to kill a palulukan, and don't know the best way to kill it, except to shoot its underside and hope to hit something vital. I've never cut one open to see how its organs are arranged, but I suppose it is like most other animals that size."

Mäsay is not happy with this answer, and says "Why talk about animals you can't eat?"

Txìtey, clearly irritated by this question, says forcefully, "Why talk about animals you can't eat? To stay alive, you must learn about many animals, including those that are not good to eat. Ideally, a hunter will make a kill and return home without any trouble. However, this is not always the case. A hunter must kill to obtain food, and sometimes a hunter must kill to avoid becoming food."

He pauses to catch his breath, but quickly continues. "A hunter stalks an animal for food. Likewise, an animal may stalk a hunter for food. While you are stalking, remain aware for the signs that something is stalking you. If a predator attacks you, you have no choice. You must fight for your life. If you realize you are prey, you have many more options. Killing the predator is good when you have the ability and the spirit to prevail. However, everyone who avoids confronting a predator can return home alive. Climb a tree, jump into a river, hang onto a vine, throw rocks, run away, do whatever you can to lose your stalker. Learn from the prey you have stalked that eluded you. Sometimes, a hunter must give up his catch to escape a predator. It is much better to return home empty handed than never returning home. You have heard many songs about hunters who never returned home, and you are always too young to join them. Now remember this, it could save your life someday."

Potey looks at the teen, and says "You have been told. He's right, I think we have done everything he said to keep from becoming a meal at one time or another. Remember that well. I feel bad, though. I thought he only talked that way to me."

They all laugh, but the grim looks on their faces make the teens realize these adults have faced many predators, and they better remember these words. They are puzzled by the leader's next words, though.

"Looks like you are finished eating. I want the four of you to stand up and turn around so your tails are toward me."

Baffled, they do what he asks.

"Now, put your tail against your spine all the way up so your tuft is lying over your queue on the top of your head. Let's see who is the best."

Zeyuo holds her tail tight against her back, from the middle of her back up. Mäsay can hardly keep his tail near his back, as he is feeling so uncomfortable and self-conscience. Larotan and Ti'mì do almost as well as Zeyuo, with Ti'mì holding more of her tail on her spine.

"Don't know why, but it seems girls can always do this better than boys. Now, wrap the end of your tail around your neck so the tuft is under your chin. Turn around when you are ready."

The four teens turn around, and burst out laughing. The two brothers are standing with the tufts of their tails beneath their chins, and are wiggling the tufts in tight little circles. The women just shake their heads, and Lew'it is ignoring the brothers by whittling yet another drum stick. They have seen the brothers do this too many times in the past.

"Our father taught us this trick. It always makes babies giggle. Now that you have your tail tucked up and around your neck, see if you can walk."

The four young hunters take several steps, but cannot walk in straight lines. Zeyuo bends her knees more, shortens her steps, and finds she can move better and faster. She scoots around the sandbar while the other teens walk tentatively or stumble.

"Why is this so hard?" she asks.

"When a baby first starts walking, what does everyone say to the baby?"

"Use your tail!"

"That's right. We learn to use our tails to stay balanced. If you lose part or all of your tail, you can still walk and run, but not as well. I'm convinced that, with time, you can relearn to walk and run like before, but I never want to find out for myself. You can run better with your tail straight out behind you, but then you are easier to catch. Knowing when to keep your tail out or when to keep it tucked against your back could help keep you alive. My brother and I were lucky to learn that at an early age, but it is different for everyone. Many are afraid that any indecision on tail position could be fatal, and that is why it is not taught as part of our hunter training."

Mäsay, who was the first to stop trying, says "This makes me feel so childish. I will never do this again."

Keti says, "If you're feeling childish, that means you fit right in with my mate and his brother." Everyone breaks out laughing, with her mate Potey saying "That's not how you should treat your loving mate." That comment causes even more laughs.

As the meal is over, the leftovers are wrapped up in leaves and packed in a woven basket with a couple of small water skins to keep the food cool. The leftovers are for breakfast tomorrow on the mesa, along with any fruits and vegetables found on the way. All hunters wade into the shallows and quickly wash themselves, as this is their last opportunity until tomorrow. The fishing arrows are removed from the branch and each string is carefully wound up and tied. The fire is extinguished and the fire pit is buried in sand to keep animals from being injured by the hot stones. The wind will uncover the stones in a few days so that the pit will be visible to the next hunters who stop here. The pa'li are loaded with the bundled firewood, the green trunks cut for fencing, the water skins, the food, and the belongings of the hunters, mainly bed rolls, that are not being carried on their persons. The brothers have taken all twelve pa'li up to the top of Pa'li Mesa in the past, and know how each pa'li must be handled. They and Keti have been observing the other seven hunters during the trip, and know their skills in handling pa'li. The brothers line up the hunters in the order they think best for the ascent, and hand each the pa'li to lead to the top. Once assigning the pa'li is complete, the hunting party departs the water hole for Pa'li Mesa. The hunters are on foot, leading the burdened pa'li upstream in single file on the narrow trail above the steep river bank.


End file.
